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Home/ stevenwarran's Library/ Notes/ May 1, 2008, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Fallen colonel sought AFP reforms, say mistahs, by Nikko Dizon,

May 1, 2008, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Fallen colonel sought AFP reforms, say mistahs, by Nikko Dizon,

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May 1, 2008, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Fallen colonel sought AFP reforms, say mistahs, by Nikko Dizon,

FOND WORDS AND MEMORIES flowed at the necrological services held on Tuesday night for the Army colonel found dead in his quarters on April 24 with a single gunshot wound in the forehead.

Family members and colleagues gathered at St. Michaels Chapel at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio described Roberto Caldeo as a warrior and a leader, an idealist and a dependable friend, and a loving and generous brother and uncle.

But Caldeos friends from the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983 also recalled his frustrations in the Armed Forces, and how, even shortly before his death, he had considered leaving the service to which he had dedicated his life.

In a eulogy, Senior Supt. Allen Bantolo recalled how in 2001, Caldeo spoke of his complaints about his senior officers in the military.

Bantolo said his mistah (classmate) was so deeply bothered that he later initiated a counseling session with priest-doctor Fr. Romeo Archie Intengan of the Ateneo de Manila.

It elicited a positive response from Bert and he understood the politics in the military and eventually overcame his problems in the AFP, Bantolo said.

But years later, Caldeos troubles apparently returned to haunt him.

Even as police investigators are still looking into the circumstances of his death, his mistahs seem to believe that the 48-year-old Scout Ranger, a veteran of many battles in Mindanao and one of the Armys brilliant field commanders, took his own life.

Burial at high noon

A recipient of combat awards, including the Distinguished Conduct Star (the second highest military award), Caldeo was laid to rest at high noon yesterday at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

His siblings asked that their privacy be respected and politely declined to be interviewed.

On Sunday, his elder sister, Myrna, told the Inquirer that she and the rest of the family had decided that his mistahs could speak on their behalf.

According to Army Col. Sanny Gadot, Caldeo had trouble sleeping last year when they were both taking the grueling Masters in National Security Administration (MNSA) course at the National Defense College.

Gadot said his close friend did not say why he could not sleep, but that the problem was solved with a doctors help.

However, the sleeping problem recurred a few months ago, Gadot said, adding: He lost his appetite and lost some weight.

On the Sunday before his friends death, Gadot and his family visited Caldeo in the latters quarters.

He seemed okay, Gadot recalled. But he also told me that he was still bothered by his remaining accountability for lost firearms and equipment back when he was in the field. He also said he still felt guilty that officers and men had died under his watch, and he continued to think about the families they left behind.

Gadot said he told Caldeo that the accountability for the firearms was a small problem.

As for the fallen men, Gadot told Caldeo that he had been a good leader to them.

Uncommon valor

In his own eulogy, Scout Ranger Capt. Samuel Yunque described the fierce battle between troops belonging to the First Scout Ranger Battalion under Caldeos command and Abu Sayyaf bandits on Puno Mohadji in Isabela, Basilan, in April 2000.

Yunque, then a young lieutenant, said that under Caldeos leadership and extraordinary bravery, the battalion was able to overrun the fortified Abu Sayyaf camp.

There were explosions and heavy fire everywhere and a bullet missed Caldeos head by two inches, but the troops rallied on despite the heavy casualty they had suffered, Yunque said.

From the two suicide squads Caldeo had organized in Operation: Final Optionthe mission to rescue the bandits hostagestwo were awarded the Medal for Valor.

Yunque did not mention the conflict Caldeo had with higher-ups during the battle.

But it was an incident that many of Caldeos mistahs acknowledged to be among the things that had bothered him.

A source from the Scout Rangers said Caldeo was the second member of the battalionand not the third, as earlier reportedbelieved to have committed suicide years after the Puno Mohadji battle.

The enlisted man earlier thought to have died by his own hand is reportedly undergoing rehabilitation in a mental institution after trying to kill himself at least twice, the source told the Inquirer.

Something different

On the other hand, Army Col. Ricardo Visaya wondered how Caldeo managed to pass the militarys neuropsychiatric exams several times if he was depressed enough to commit suicide.

A classmate at the MNSA, Judith Dolot, could not believe that Caldeo would take his own life, saying he was a cheerful, albeit private, person with a nice smile.

But Army Col. Daniel Lucero, president of the PMA Class of 1983, said he and some mistahs had been noticing something different in Caldeo, something they could not exactly put their finger on.

If you know somebody well enough, you will notice if theres something different in him, Lucero told the Inquirer.

On the Tuesday before Caldeo died, Lucero and other mistahs met to discuss how they could help Caldeo. They decided that they would ask a doctor from the AFP Medical Center to talk to him.

Gadot was assigned to go to Caldeos quarters at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, with the doctor.

According to police investigators, Caldeo shot himself at around 8:30 a.m.

We missed him

I was on my way to his place when another mistah called me on my mobile phone. He said, Bok (friend), we missed Bert, Gadot said, sighing.

Gadot said Caldeo must have been stressed by a lot of things, including the Puno Mohadji battle and his conflicts with his superiors.

Responding to a question, he said posttraumatic stress counseling could have helped his friend.

The last time we met, he told me he already wanted to retire, to rest, that he did not want to serve in the meantime, Gadot said, adding that he had encouraged Caldeo to stay in the AFP.

1989 coup participant

In his eulogy, Gadot recalled how Caldeos idealism moved him to join the 1989 coup attempt, the bloodiest, against the administration of President Corazon Aquino.

He did not regret joining the coup [attempt] because that was his conviction. He was for reforms in the AFP, Gadot said.

Bantolo said Caldeos idealism would be cherished forever.

Yunque said the story of Puno Mohadji had been told and retold with Colonel Caldeo as the focal point.

Defining moments

He shaped the defining moments of many officers and men who fought for the glory of the Philippine Army and the AFP, and he will always be remembered, Yunque said.

As he ended his eulogy, Yunque faced his commanders white casket and executed a snappy final salute.

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